Check out what's going on this week at the UMC of Red Bank!
Connections
Friday, October 23, 202
UMC of Red Bank Church Reopening Plan Update

As the ministry of UMCRB continues strong in the time of COVID, with the goal that zero infections are spread through our church activity, we bring you this update about our church reopening plan. Our church is working on a multi-phased plan for reopening our church building in the midst of the COVID pandemic. The church office is open in a limited way on Tuesday-Thursday from 9-2 and Fridays from 9-1:30 pm. The calendar of events on our church website has up-to-date information about ongoing ministries and how to join in. If you’d like to reserve our outdoor gathering space for your church small group, contact Sheila Leavitt.
Our Building Use Safety Team is hard at work on our upcoming phases, which include both small group church gatherings and small group worship experiences INSIDE the church building, and in time, when it is safe, large group worship in our sacred spaces. We are thankful for your patience as we work through this building reopening plan with care and caution. In the next few days, you will find information on our church website where you can read more about the policies that have been approved by church council. We encourage you to check back for updates as we move to upcoming phases.
Worship Sneak Peek
October 25th, 2020 at 10am

Join in our online worship service on Sunday, October 25th for the third week in our sermon series called The Enemies of Gratitude. We'll be wrestling with how nostalgia has the ability to keep us focused on the past rather than expressing gratitude for the blessings that surround us in the present. We hope to connect with you online!

Don't forget the Connect Card when you worship online
Each week while you are worshiping, please take the time to fill this out at some point during or after worship every week. It will only take a minute, but it will be incredibly helpful for us! Click here to submit your responses. Thanks in advance!
Online Fellowship Time Sundays After Worship
Join in a time to meet together and check in after online worship each Sunday. Sign in to the weekly Zoom call by clicking the following link - https://zoom.us/j/411045493. Or join by calling: (646) 558-8656  Meeting ID: 411 045 493#  Password: 7470446
Children and Youth
Online Sunday School
Please join us for Sunday School this Sunday, October 25th! Grades K-2nd, 3rd-5th and 6th-8th meet via Zoom at 9:00am. Bagels and Faith gathers at 11:30am also via Zoom. Class links are available on the church calendar. Friends are always welcome!

Parents - please take the time to enroll your children in Sunday School today through our ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM to help our teachers prepare for their classes! Many thanks!
Join in the Beach Clean Up
THIS SATURDAY
October 24th 9 am - 12:30 pm
at Sea Bright or Sandy Hook.
Families, youth, everyone: Come join us as we partner with Clean Ocean Action to clean up the beach on Saturday morning Oct. 24th. Due to Covid 19, each person needs to sign up separately. Follow this link to the Clean Ocean Action website and read the Covid guidelines before you sign up. We had planned to all gather at the Sea Bright Public Beach, but we've heard that location is full. So our second gathering location will be Sandy Hook, so designate that beach when you register. We hope to see lots of you there to help make our local environment a cleaner place for all. Contact Kathy Hackler for more information.
Congratulations Crop Walkers!
Thank you to ALL of those who participated in this year's Crop Walk. A special shout out to top Crop Walker Ken Glossbrenner and Top Team, Janie and George Schildge. Each raised over $5,000 towards fighting hunger one step at a time!
Youth Groups Meet Online - Wednesdays at 7 PM
Don't forget...Youth Groups meet Wednesday, October 28th. All Youth Groups meet at 7:00pm. Group links are available on the Church calendar or through Youth Group leadership teams. And don’t forget, Youth Groups love friends, so please feel free to B.A.R.F.!!! For more information, please contact Tammy at [email protected] or 732-299-6203. 
Photos Needed!
HUBOB (Help Us Balance Our Budget) is working on an exciting new holiday project and we need your help! Please check your archives for photos of our church family attending services and participating in church events. Do you have a photo or two of Corned Beef & Cabbage? The annual church picnic? Maybe Youth Sunday or Confirmation? Please share them with us! Email your photos to Suzanne Stonaker at [email protected]. For more information, visit the HUBOB page on the church website.
Stewardship Season 2021
We Need Your Help!
Our annual Stewardship Campaign is underway with a pledged giving goal of 100 pledges and $300,000. You should have received your pledge card this week. Please return your pledge card by November 15, Consecration Sunday, when we will celebrate all we can accomplish through the diversity of gifts we bring. Thank you for your continued financial support of our church. Your gift truly makes all the difference!
Your HUBOB Team organizes activities around social events like plays, dinners, food card and gift card sales, etc. So we are sure you will quickly realize that the pandemic has brought us to a screeching halt. Many different aspects of the coronavirus has interfered with our plans for the fall season. Our team has also suffered the loss of several members. At the most we are extending an invitation to anyone who would like to join us for a limited period of time...for one activity or project. We have some ideas but we need some willing hands. Are you the artistic one or one who is willing to help organize? Do you have computer skills? You may be just the person we are looking for. Please contact Marion Kleiner via email or phone, 732-918-9587.
Adult Education Class
Sundays at 9:00 am & Wednesdays at 7:00 pm
Join in this adult small group experience as we study together the book Speaking Christian by Marcus Borg. Christianity has its own language with all those "churchy" words, like sin, salvation, righteousness and heaven. But the funny thing is some of these don't mean what we think they do - or at least their original meanings are quite different from what first comes to mind today. The book is an interesting look at what various terms meant when they were written and how that impacts our interpretation of Biblical texts today.

All are welcome to join us by Zoom as we work through a term or two per week. For questions, please contact Mark Hackler at 732-918-0344 or via email. Zoom connection information for each session is in the church calendar on the website. Hope to see you there!
Collecting new and gently used books for school aged kids!
8 days left of your Mission and Service team’s book drive for Bridge of Books Foundation! New or gently used books for children ages Preschool through high school can be left on the church back porch. For more info on this organization go to www.bridgeofbooksfoundation.org
Backpack Crew Update
The Backpack Crew pantry is now open EVERY Monday evening from 5-7pm. The current donation needs are Mac and Cheese Cups and Granola! The Backpack Crew has continued to serve the increasing number of people who are impacted by food insecurity in the midst of this health crisis. Food donations are greatly appreciated on the back porch of the church, Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm. Thank you for your continued support. Email us at [email protected] with any questions.
Bible Study with Pastor Jess
Thursdays 1-2:30 pm

Join us online as we explore the Book of Psalms and learn more about these poems that have helped people journey through the ups and downs of life with God. For more information and links to the meetings please visit our website. Contact Pastor Jess for more information.
Outdoor Small Group Gathering Space
Our church council has approved the use of an Outdoor Small Group Gathering space for church groups of 10 or less. Masks must be worn at all times and social distancing must be maintained. There are several places in the parking lot that we will be cordoning off and setting up chairs in to accommodate these outdoor gatherings. For more information or to request the space for your group, please contact Sheila Leavitt. Please know that Sheila is only in the office Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Balance and Strength Training
Tuesdays and Thursdays
at 12:00 pm
Join us for online Balance and Strength Training with Janet Tartaglia. Beginners welcome! Items needed: chair (with no arms) and weights (can be 2 16 oz. water bottles), or you can choose to follow along without the weights. Exercises done with chair or standing, no floor work. Join the Zoom meeting by following this link: https://zoom.us/j/96916489677 or call: (646) 876-9923 Meeting ID: 969 1648 9677# Password 7470446
Online Yoga - Wednesdays at 9:30 am
Join us for online yoga with Tiffany McCann on Wednesdays. Join the Zoom meeting by following this link: https://zoom.us/j/958496669. Or call: (646) 876-9923 Meeting ID: 958 496 669# Password 7470446
Pastoral Care
If someone is hospitalized or in need of pastoral care
please contact Rev. Jessica Naulty at 908-400-2343 or [email protected].